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Steamed scallops

A relatively simple dish, steamed scallops are another item traditionally served at Chinese weddings.

"The word in Chinese for this dish is a homophone that means to have lots of children," says Bonnie.

So if your in-laws plonk a plate of these in front of you on your wedding day, you can safely assume they're eager to get the grand children on the way.

Prosperity toss

Prosperity toss (Image: Manchester Evening News)

Bonnie says: "This is a tradition mostly in the southern parts of China, and within Chinese communities in Malaysia and Indonesia too."

What goes into the prosperity toss can vary, but it's essentially a raw fish salad with strips of vegetables.

"There's always a lot of reds and oranges in the ingredients," she says, which symbolise joy and good fortune.

"You put everything in a huge pan and toss it as high as possible. The higher it goes, the better! In theory it's all supposed to land back in the pan, where you all eat it together family-style, but quite often it misses and goes everywhere."

Abalone (sea cucumber)

"Abalone is definitely something that you have to order in advance," Bonnie says.

Preparing the dish can take several days. Much like a starfish, sea cucumbers dry out once they are out of water.

In order to get to the edible, fleshy inners, the tough outer shell must be burned away and then the insides rehydrated.

"It's definitely something you'd order for a really special occasion."